408th Armament Systems Group
The 408th Armament Systems Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Force Materiel Command's 308th Armament Systems Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. It was inactivated in 2010. History World War II The group was activated in April 1943 as the 408th Bombardment Group at Key Field, Mississippi, with the 636th, 637th, 638th, and 639th Bombardment SquadronsMaurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 690 assigned. In August, as were other Army Air Forces (AAF) single engine bomber units, it was redesignated as the 408th Fighter-Bomber Group and its squadrons were renumbered as the 518th, 519th, and 520th Fighter-Bomber Squadrons.Because AAF fighter groups usually had three, rather than four squadrons, the 639th was disbanded, not redesignated The group did not receive aircraft to begin training until October. It served as an operational training unit, providing cadres to "satellite groups"See and a replacement training unit, training individual pilots. In February 1944, the 455th Fighter-Bomber Squadron was assigned, although it was detached from the group for most of its assignment.Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 561 The 455th also participated occasionally in demonstrations and maneuvers. The group was disbanded in 1944 and replaced by the 267th AAF Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station, Fighter)History, Woodward Field, Apr 1944 (accessed 2 June 2012) in a reorganization of the AAF in which all units not programmed for deployment overseas were replaced by AAF Base Units to free up manpower for assignment overseas. Cold War The group was reconstituted and redesignated as the 408th Fighter Group (Air Defense) in 1955 and activated in 1956 at Kalmath Falls Municipal Airport, Oregon to perform active air defense of the Pacific Northwest. It also served as the host base unit for USAF units at Klamath Falls and was assigned a number of support organizations to fulfill this mission.Cornett & Johnson, p. 146''See'' Abstract, History of 408th Air Base Squadron, CYs 1958–1959 (accessed 2 June 2012) Its operational squadron was the 518th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS), which was activated and assigned in June. The group and squadron were authorized rocket and radar equipped F-86 Sabres,Cornett & Johnson, p.130 but the squadron was not manned and the group remained only a support organization. Instead, the group oversaw the construction of facilities to support its squadron and the 827th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, located at nearby Keno Air Force Station.Abstract, History of 408th Fighter Group, CY 1958 (accessed 2 June 2012)The 827th's operations and maintenance facilities were located at Keno AFS. Housing, administrative and support facilities were at Kingsley. In April 1959, the group gained its second operational squadron, the 322d FIS, which moved to what was now Kingsley Field and immediately began converting to F-101 VooDoo aircraft.Cornett & Johnson, p. 125 Three months later, the 518th FIS inactivated without ever having been more than a paper unit at Kingsley. At the end of September 1968, the 322d FIS inactivated and was replaced by the activating 59th FIS, which took over its personnel and equipment.AFHRA Factsheet, 59th Test & Evaluation Squadron (accessed 2 June 2012)Cornett & Johnson, p. 118 In December 1969, the 59th FIS stood down shortly after the 460th FIS, flying F-106 Delta DartsCornett & Johnson, p. 129 moved to Kingsley from Oxnard AFB, California. In the fall of 1970, the group inactivated and transferred its remaining support mission, personnel and equipment to the 4788th Air Base Group,Cornett & Johnson, p. 91 while the 460th FIS was reassigned directly to the 25th Air Division. Air Armament Center The Area Attack Systems Group was activated at Eglin AFB, Florida in 2005 as part of the Air Force Materiel Command Transformation reorganization, in which traditional project offices were replaced by wings, squadrons and groups. In 2006 most of these organizations were consolidated with World War II units and given the numbers of the older units. As a result of this, the group became the 408th Armament Systems Group. Its mission was to provide armament acqisition support.308th Armament Systems Wing Powerpoint presentation, 308th Armament Systems Wing (accessed 7 June 2012) Its support responsibilities included Advanced Medium-Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM), Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), Communications and Information Technology (C&IT), Foreign Military Sales (FMS), and weaponeering. In 2007, the various systems squadrons assigned to the 308th wing were realigned. The group was inactivated in 2010, along with its assigned squadrons, when the 308th Armament Systems Wing was inactivated and the center returned to a project office organizational structure. Lineage 408th Fighter Group * Constituted as 408th Bombardment Group (Dive) on 23 March 1943 : Activated on 5 April 1943 : Redesignated as 408th Fighter-Bomber Group on 10 August 1943 : Disbanded on 1 April 1944 * Reconstituted and redesignated as 408th Fighter Group (Air Defense), on 8 July 1955The USAF constituted a 408th Strategic Fighter Wing on 3 March 1953. This wing was never made active and is a separate unit from the group. See : Activated on 8 April 1956 : Inactivated on 1 October 1970 * Redesignated 408th Tactical Fighter Group on 31 July 1985 (never active) * Consolidated on 3 May 2006 with Area Attack Systems Group as Area Attack Systems Group Area Attack Systems Group * Constituted as Area Attack Systems Group on 23 November 2004DAF/DPM Letter 560s, 23 November 2004 : Activated on 27 January 2005 : Consolidated on 3 May 2006 with '408th Tactical Fighter Group'DAF/A1M Letter 704s, 3 May 2006 * Redesignated as '''408th Armament Systems Group on 10 May 2006 : Inactivated on 30 June 2010DAF/A1M Letter 194t, 19 May 2010 Assignments * Third Air Force, 10 February 1942 * 72d Fighter Wing, 1 November 1943 – 1 April 1944Maurer, Combat Units, p. 406 gives years, but not exact dates) * Strategic Air Command, 3 March 1953 * 28th Air Division, 8 April 1956 * 25th Air Division, 1 March 1959 * Spokane Air Defense Sector, 15 April 1960 * 25th Air Division, 1 September 1963 * 26th Air Division, 1 April 1966 * 25th Air Division, 15 September 1969 – 1 October 1970 * Air to Ground Munition Systems Wing(later 308th Armament Systems Wing), 27 January 2005 – 30 June 2010 Units assigned Operational Squadrons * 59th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 30 September 1968 – 17 December 1969 * 322d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 1 April 1959 – 30 September 1968 * 455th Fighter-Bomber Squadron: 12 February 1944 – 1 April 1944 (detached to I Tactical Air Division 8 March 1944 – 1 April 1944) * 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron: 1 November 1969 – 3 December 1969 * 636th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) (later 518th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 518th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron): 5 April 1943 – 1 April 1944; 8 June 1956 – 1 July 1959 * 637th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) (later 519th Fighter-Bomber Squadron): 5 April 1943 – 1 April 1944 * 638th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) (later 520th Fighter-Bomber Squadron): 5 April 1943 – 1 April 1944 * 639th Bombardment Squadron (Dive): 5 April 1943 – 15 August 1943. Support Units * 408th USAF Infirmary (later 408th USAF Dispensary), 8 April 1956 – 1 October 1970History, 408th USAF Dispensary, Jul–Dec 1958 (accessed 2 June 2012) * 408th Air Base Squadron (later 408th Combat Support Squadron), 8 April 1956 – 1 October 1970''See'' Report of Base Chaplain Activities, 408th Combat Support Squadron, 1958–1968 (accessed 2 June 2012) * 408th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 8 November 1958 – 1 October 1970Cornett & Johnson, p. 140 * 408th Materiel Squadron, 8 April 1956 – 1 April 1964 * 408th Supply Squadron, 1 April 1964 – 1 October 1970 * 671st Armament Systems Squadron, 1 June 2009 – 30 June 2010 * 675th Armament Systems Squadron, 7 September 2007 – 30 June 2010 * 680th Armament Systems Squadron, 7 September 2007 – 30 June 2010 * 683d Armament Systems Squadron, 15 May 2006 – 7 September 2007 * 684th Armament Systems Squadron, 15 May 2006 – 7 September 2007 * 685th Armament Systems Squadron, 15 May 2006 – 7 September 2007 * 686th Armament Systems Squadron, 15 May 2006 – 30 June 2010 * 690th Armament Systems Squadron, 7 September 2007 – 30 June 2010 * 694th Armament Systems Squadron, 7 September 2007 – 30 June 2010 Stations * Key Field, Mississippi, 5 April 1943 * Drew Field, Florida, 22 September 1943 * Abilene AAF, Texas, 20 November 1943 * DeRidder AAB, Louisiana, 12 February 1944 * Woodward AAF, Oklahoma, 26 March-1 April 1944 * Klamath Falls Mun Aprt (later Kingsley Field), Oregon, 8 April 1956 – 1 January 1970 * Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, 27 January 2005 – 20 June 2010 Aircraft * A-24 Banshee, 1943–1944 * A-36 Apache, 1943–1944Maurer, Combat Units says A-26 However, it seems likely that this is a typographical error since the A-26 was a light bomber, and Maurer, Combat Squadrons entries for the squadrons list the A-36 * P-39 Airacobra, 1943–1944 * P-40 Warhawk, 1943–1944 * P-47 Thunderbolt, 1943–1944 * UC-78 Bobcat, 1943–1944 * F-86D (authorized but not assigned 1956–1959) * F-101B 1959–1969 * F-106A 1969–1970 Awards Air Force Outstanding Unit Award * 8 June 1960 – 30 Apr 1962AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits, Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 15 Jun 71 (Part 1) http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/AFP900-2Vol1Bk2.pdf (Part 2), p. 370 * 1 July 1966 – 1 June 1968 * 1 July 1968 – 30 June 1969 * 1 July 1969 – 30 June 1970AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits, Vol II Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 30 Sep 76 http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/AFP900-2Vol2.pdf, p 70 * 22 March 2008 – 5 June 2009AFMPC Search Page for Unit Awards (accessed 8 June 2012) References Category:Military units and formations established in 1943 Category:Military units and formations of the United States in World War II Category:Aerospace Defense Command units